With Ian Book’s struggles at times, this year has led to some to call for his job and anoint Phil Jurkovec the next Notre Dame starting quarterback. That’s something I’ve never been able to quite get on-board with for 2019 because when you make a change at that position, you’re risking the bottom completely falling out for your team and although the ultimate goals Notre Dame once had are long gone, there is still a lot to play for.
Book had a fantastic game Saturday against Navy and yes, it’s just Navy but he still has the Irish on track to win 10 games for the third straight season, something they haven’t done since 1991-93.
With Book playing better and the quarterback controversy (I hate even calling it that, because it never really was one) done for the year, we are left wondering about Jurkovec and what you can take away from his 2019.
He throws the sideline, and that’s hard to do when you don’t get a lot of reps. He showed some real signs that you don’t normally get those opportunities on the backup quarterback and execute them correctly. – Brian Kelly on Monday (11/18)
Jurkovec has attempted 14 passes in mop-up duty this season, throwing a pair of touchdown passes along the way.
Being a backup isn’t the easiest of things, especially a quarterback who is trying to develop but Kelly lent a few words to specifics on what Jurkovec does well and where they see his career going.
But it’s hard being the backup quarterback and stay locked in all the time. So there are a couple things where you scratch your head, but I just think it’s just a matter of time. Once he gets in there and gets a lot of work we feel really confident that he’ll be successful. – Brian Kelly on Monday (11/18)
As I’ve though even in the moments after the Michigan debacle, the debate between Book and Jurkovec wasn’t about 2019 but with Book having eligibility remaining next season, it certainly will be worth discussing at-length entering 2020 and I’m more than certain we will.